It's a brighter day at Child's Voice! Child's Voice was selected as a recipient of the Light the Way Program earlier this fall. This included the installation and purchase of all light fixtures and bulbs within the facility.

"These new bulbs and fixtures are estimated to save us $4,000 in our energy expenses," shared Brooke Graham, Child's Voice Business Finance Manager. "The LED bulbs have four times the lifespan of a florescent bulb, they are more efficient, and do not contain toxic materials such as mercury. We're excited about this partnership and love the impact to the efficiency and effort to create a greener environment at Child's Voice. But this goes beyond the financial and facility aspect. This will improve the lighting throughout the entire building, which benefits our students and staff."

Verde Energy Efficiency Experts partnered with Brooke and the team to determine the best options for Child's Voice.

"The Light the Way Program is a brand new program we started this summer as a way of giving back to the organizations that make a positive impact in the Chicagoland area," shared Jen Panattoni, CMO for Verde Energy Efficiency Experts. "If we're able to lower their operational costs, they can, in turn, keep that money for programming that makes a difference. Besides the awesome benefit of saving energy and reducing environmental impact, good lighting means happier, more comfortable employees and creates a more welcoming environment."

The funds that will be saved through this increased efficiency will directly impact the children at Child's Voice. Child's Voice, based in Wood Dale and Chicago, helps children with hearing loss learn to listen and speak. Students wear hearing aids and/or cochlear implants and programs use a child-focused, research-based curriculum, all with the end goal of transitioning graduates back to their neighborhood schools. This year, Child's Voice has supported nearly 400 children and their families. Students range in age from just a few days old through the age of 8.

The staff have been excited by this update too! "We have certainly seen a difference in the brightness in the classrooms," Colleen Kinsella, a teacher at Child's Voice said.

Elizabeth Rowgalo, a Teaching Assistant shared, "It's more warm and inviting. The lights give the space a more energizing feel."

For more information about Child's Voice or to make a contribution to help change the lives of the students at Child's Voice, please visit donate.childsvoice.org.

Child's VoiceFor over 22 years, Child's Voice has been changing lives of children with hearing loss and their families. Child's Voice has grown from a school serving only six students, to a thriving comprehensive program providing services to over 390 children with hearing loss from birth through age eight. The mission of Child's Voice is to empower children with hearing loss to be successful in all educational and social settings by optimizing their listening, speaking and academic skills. www.childsvoice.org.

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